News flash: sledding is not childs play any more. The Mad River Rocket sled has redefined this pastime as an extreme winter sport. From the mountains of Colorado to the hills in your own neighborhood, the buzz about these Mad River sleds is growing fast. As is our duty, we decided to look into this and see what the buzz is all about. Thanks to Mad River, we got our hands on a Killer B sled and hit our local slopes. Read on, GearCravers, to learn about this new phenomenon called “Freesledding” and how you can win your very own Killer B from GearCrave and Mad River Rocket.

What is Freesledding?

Freesledding is sledding on steroids– on slopes you’d normally hit with skis or a snowboard. In other words, Freesledding can’t be done with a dinky red plastic saucer in your back yard. It takes special tools, some practice and big brass balls. To really understand how exciting this new sport can be, you’ve got to see it to believe it…

The Mad River Rocket Sled

Mad River Rocket’s sleds are a radical take on a classic concept. The Killer B model, which we’re giving away to a lucky GearCrave reader, is lightyears ahead of its red rectangular ancestors. Let’s take a look at what makes the Mad River Rocket tick:

• Rugged plastic hull: a radical hull design with parallel ribs that act like wide skis to support the sled while moving through the snow. The plastic is made of a nearly indestructable material.
• Bow: the rocket has raised gunwales at the bow to prevent the intrusion of snow during your ride.
• Knee pads: thick, ribbed foam knee pads provide cushion for bumps and landings. Kneeling on the rocket is the only way to ride.
• Rocker: the rocket is not flat, but rounded to provide for precision steering.
• Strap: a quick-release lap belt secures the rider to the sled. This way, tricks such as inverted aerials can be performed without losing the sled. When you’re on foot on your way back up the hill, this acts as a shoulder sling for an easy carry.

The Mad River Rocket GearCrave Giveaway

We’ve had a blast on this Mad River Rocket, but now its your turn to give Freesledding a try. We’re giving away a Mad River Rocket Killer B sled for free to one lucky GearCrave winner. How do you sign up?

• Click on the “Newsletter” link on the upper right of this very GearCrave.com page. Or just click that handy link in the last sentence.
• Enter a valid email address. (invalid emails will not be authorized)
• Confirm your email address. Feedburner will send you a confirmation email on behalf of GearCrave. Click on the link in that email to confirm.
• Voila, you’re signed up for this contest.
• On Monday, March 17th, GearCrave will select one email newsletter subscriber, at random, to win their very own Mad River Rocket Killer B sled.

We’ll announce the winner next Monday, March 17th. Congrats again to Ryan M. who won last week’s giveaway for the Cocaine Mule Companion bags. Stay tuned for updates!